Pablo Hernandez left Swansea City for Qatari outfit Al Arabi today. Here, Chris Wathan takes a look at what went wrong for the Spanish star

Pablo Hernandez looks to have completed his move from South Wales to the Middle East – and so ends the frustrating Swansea City tale of one of the club’s most agonisingly talented players.

It is story of unfulfilled potential as the former Spain international leaves with a question of whether he ever really showed his best at the Liberty or if, ultimately, his time at the Swans was as good as it was ever going to get.

No-one can doubt the raw tools the former Valencia player boasted, the attributes that made him a joy to watch when he used them to their full. Yet neither can anyone argue that the man who was a record signing when he arrived from La Liga for £5.55m rarely did so.

A bit like the old Longfellow poem, when he was good, he was very, very good; when he was bad he was horrid.

Despite some overseas reports suggesting a price of £4m – the BBC have claimed chairman Huw Jenkins has told them Pablo Hernandez’s shock movce to Qatari side Al Arabi will be for a small fee.

Injuries

Being sympathetic, a succession of injuries – normally hamstring – stopped Hernandez really gaining much momentum. Most notably, and most frustratingly, one key spell on the sidelines came just after a stunning performance against West Brom in the November of his first season. Hernandez was superb that night, living up to the hope that Swans fans had when Michael Laudrup lured him in the summer of 2012 and the excitement Spanish football followers had shown when he signed, citing back to his Champions League days at the Mestalla.

He provided two of Swansea’s three goals in a 3-1 win, one of the most complete Premier League performances under Laudrup, and was in devilish mood as he floated around and flummoxed defenders in equal measure. It was the birth of Laudrup’s ‘three wingers’ ploy behind frontman Michu, a tactic he strangely shied away from in his second term.

It should have been the start of something, a platform from which to kick-on. Instead it was a standard he failed to live up to, certainly in terms of 90-minute consistency; a high water mark that those giving him the benefit of the doubt would refer back to.

League Cup win

There were other offerings in between niggling lay-offs, such as the training ground win over Bradford at Wembley to lift the club’s first major English trophy.

Some of his up-and-down form could be forgiven; his attempt to try things with his passing and his vision – forming a relationship with Michu few others could enjoy at a similar standard – would often see him lose the ball in a team not used to doing so. He would not drive at markers often enough, looking to pass his way through rather than take on – and when it didn’t come off his impact was as limited as his defensive awareness.

He sensed the frustration and you sensed a frustration in him as he failed to put constant battles with fitness aside to become the player he perhaps knew he could become.

Seen as a Laudrup man, Garry Monk’s decision to play him as a No.10 sought to make the most of his obvious qualities looked to offer a renewed hope and opportunity. His half-time introduction in Monk’s first game set the course for victory and smoothed the transition for the new man in the dug-out. In the heat of an emotionally charged South Wales derby, the cool precision of his pass for Wayne Routledge’s opener with a hint of the outside of the foot was indicative of his gifted technique. Involved in two more goals that night, his 13 assists in two seasons showed how – at his best – he offered the penetration on top of the possession.

But, again, he never kicked on, hinting of more against Napoli and Stoke only to subside into half-hearted displays that were more than just mistakes when attempting to influence.

Happy to move on?

It appeared, to this observer at least, he had given up a little and having made it clear he would be happy to move on it now appears he has given up on the chance of living up to his own standards at Swansea.

It is a shame: he is a player who, at 29, should not yet be making the most of the money on offer in the cash-rich Qatari league as he joins up with Al Arabi. Frustrating given all he could have been capable of, but perhaps fitting given his time in South Wales.

Because on his day he was one of the most talented players to come through the doors at Swansea City; those days seldom came. His days as a Swansea City player now seem over.

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